In a real-time locating system (RTLS) an object that includes an RTLS mobile tag, or the mobile tag itself, is located by using its relationship with fixed anchors or otherwise by using the relationships between the mobile tag and fixed points in a mesh network. A central server can be employed to keep track of these objects, via their mobile tags, and their respective positions within a defined geographic perimeter. Such a defined geographic perimeter can be used to define a “geofence” which is a virtual fence around the defined geographic perimeter. In certain applications, a mobile device or a monitoring system within the RTLS system may also have a requirement for tracking one or more other moving objects, referred to as “objects of interest.” For example, the object-of-interest's RTLS data can be obtained by an interested mobile device by accessing the central server, however the interested mobile device must be able to initially identify a specific moving object of interest in order to track its position.
Unfortunately, the location data in the RTLS system is prone to various errors. One example type of location data error is drift error. When drift error is present, the RTLS system can indicate different coordinate readings for the same location at different times. Factors that can contribute to location data errors include environmental changes, noise, interference, the introduction of additional objects of interest to track, etc. Drift errors can also impact RLTS system configuration and system parameters. Examples of changes in RTLS system parameters that can occur due to drift errors include changes in sampling rate, grid spacing, etc. which can cause system reboots.
Such errors build up exponentially and eventually have an adverse impact on RTLS system users. Present error correction techniques require bringing down the RLTS system and performing manual recalibration which is troublesome and time consuming.